by Luke Cawdell

Sheppey boxer Gavin Tait is hoping to return to the ring with a vengeance after reluctantly giving up his Southern Area welterweight title.

Tait (pictured) clinched the area title last year but since then work commitments have left him unable to defend it.

It led to him giving up the title and the man he beat, Chas Symonds, is now the current title holder.

It is a situation that sits uncomfortably with 36-year-old Sheerness fighter.

Tait said: "I was gutted to hand the belt back and it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do.

"The Board of Control want to see it active and so I had to stand down. The worst thing was to see Chas go and win it after beating Darryl Still in an awful fight.

"I know I would have knocked Still out and so it’s been frustrating.

"But the good news is that work is slowing down a bit and hopefully I will be hitting the gym again."

Tait’s title fight was back in September last year. He is now plotting a possible return later this month to a welterweight division where he holds a lot of respect.

"I went through so much to get that belt and after eight weeks I was in peak condition," Tait said.

"I want to get a warm-up done and then move onto bigger and better things. I am right in amongst it and I am determined not to let it all dwindle away after so much hard work."